Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test - Gizmodo Comments

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

aamlg — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:30:59 EST

Think your memory is better than the chimp's, or that it's just a matter of training?

Try this replica of the memory test to see if you can beat a chimp's score:

[games.lumosity.com]

aamlg

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

tchangtx — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:19:12 EST

Anyone remember that film "Lawnmower Man"?

tchangtx

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

cmsjustin — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:21:38 EST

@AndersonBMX: Hot Russian tennis players?

cmsjustin

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

ANoel — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:16:01 EST

In the UK "monkey see, monkey do" refers to the learning of a process without an understanding of why it works. This phrase is also used in the UK for explanation to people surprised at children's actions when the children have naturally copied behaviour they saw.

Predict This Chimp pwns Bush Monkey every time.

ANoel

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

aec007 — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:46:27 EST

Let him play with numbers... I'll surf for porn in the meantime...

aec007

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

AndersonBMX — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:40:50 EST

they are faster than adults.
but we have the kalashnikovas

AndersonBMX

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

itchytooth — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:16:27 EST

The real question is: how can we exploit this? Chimp based protein folding? Improved quality control on factory lines? More nuanced, dramatic plot lines in teen comedies?

itchytooth

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

gizmodohomepage — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:46:16 EST

Isn't the ral test if the furball is drunk and high? Then you'll match college criteria.

gizmodohomepage

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

MrSpyder — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:28:03 EST

Chimp's aren't that smart- it's all the hat

MrSpyder

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

jeffj-nj — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:00:34 EST

I love how many people are defending the college students, or perhaps the human race on a whole. People, this isn't supposed to be about how smart or dumb college students are. It's supposed to be about how freakin' impressively smart the chimps are. Just sit back and be amazed. Don't try defending your entire species because you feel threatened.

Or, if you do, at least use correct grammar. It's hard to take seriously posts from people claiming to be smarter than a chimp at so many different things when knowing the difference between "your" and "you're" isn't one of those things.

Seriously though, I knew we could teach chimps stuff. I knew chimps could learn stuff. All that, etc. But, c'mon. That was just damn amazing. Wow.

jeffj-nj

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Noobs-R-Us — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:53:37 EST

The problem here is they didn't say whether or not the humans had any time to train? I'm sure the apes had many hours to train over many days or weeks on that machine. If the humans had the same amount of time training I'm sure the difference will not be that dramatic.

Remember folks, repetition is the key to learning. Even humans can become better at something by simply doing it over and over again.

Noobs-R-Us

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

itchytooth — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:53:15 EST

The sad part is, most colleges still refuse to enroll chimps.

itchytooth

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

diehippiedie — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:34:02 EST

why are we still having presidential elections? isnt this by far THE BEST way to elect the next president of the United States? come on!

You distribute this machine around america in all cities and town, do a competition like spelling bee, and whoever beat the chimp will be the president and 2nd place will be vice.

Bush, Kerry, or any douchebags like them wouldnt even pass the 2sec interval hahaha

diehippiedie

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

kevjohn — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:33:11 EST

@GizFanAlpha: Judging by some of the comments around here lately, I'd say that's already happened.

kevjohn

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

kracer22 — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:06:44 EST

you're ave college students are still microwaving food with alluminum foil. besides these monkeys were probably trained and electroshocked into perfecting this game. pain and hunger can powerful motivators.

kracer22

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Gann — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:05:44 EST

I for one welcome our new chimp overlords.

Gann

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

middy — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:04:16 EST

OK, now let's have a suspension bridge engineering competition....

middy

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Munch — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:01:21 EST

Fine - a chimp could beat me at Brain Age, but I would own that silly beast in Madden or Halo.

Munch

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

OniMirage — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 09:27:58 EST

damn dude and I was fighting for a brain age of 20 I feel like crap now thank you silly monkey thank you

OniMirage

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

strider_mt2k — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:54:06 EST

Didn't a whole room Chimps just collaborate on the greatest novel ever or something?

-thought I read that somewhere...

strider_mt2k

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

hagrun — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:46:22 EST

Not to take anything away from the Chimp but he has probably been training on the game for quite some time. That kind of skill takes practice, and college students write papers they probably don't spend much time training their mind at the game Brain Age.

On the other hand the Chimp has that thing mastered. I am in awe of that little dude.

@UpIrons: Good point.

hagrun

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

JRo — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:45:57 EST

You see? There's no way we're decended from apes. They're too smart!

JRo

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

luxera — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:45:56 EST

they're actually 20 year old chimps made up to look five years old. Plus you're average "college student" couldn't tell the difference anyways.

luxera

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

RayZR — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:02:18 EST

While this is pretty fascinating, I can't help but wonder if the fact that the chimpanzee has little to worry about beyond those numbers and its next meal be an advantage.

After all, college students are probably so frazzled from their day-to-day routine that they're probably letting their minds wander when presented with a task as seemingly mundane as this.

WHAT'S GOING THROUGH THE AVERAGE COLLEGE STUDENT'S MIND: grades, sleep, sex. ^_^

RayZR

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

UpIrons — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 07:54:10 EST

That is simply incredible. I don't know that it has as much to do with memorization skill as it has to do with visual acuity. If I were able to see all the numbers as fast as the chimp can, I would be able to do this with ease, but I simply cannot see all the numbers as fast as the chimp. As another poster here pointed out, he needs that kind of visual capability in the jungle where he is swinging from vine to vine at high speeds. Man just didn't have the need for the visual quickness. I am sure the chimp would win hands down in any reflex test as well.

UpIrons

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

pj737 — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 07:22:12 EST

You have got to be kidding me? The second video is scary. Seriously. I could barely do 1-5 with such a short flash. Incredible. Just incredible.

pj737

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

devilonsteroids — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 04:21:12 EST

you know if a college student sat in a room getting getting a Krispy Kreme and and XBOX the paster he did something like this he'd beat the shit out of that monkey....i mean we all have seen those japanese guys playing video games right?

devilonsteroids

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

lulabale — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:32:41 EST

@CODIFEROUS: Actually, it's a dog in a suit.

lulabale

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Amiash is not allowed — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:10:31 EST

that is really humiliating to the human race. shame on us people.

Amiash is not allowed

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Gizmo — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:09:02 EST

Accounts departments are watching and shuffling uncomfortably in their office chairs.

Gizmo

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Hypenotist — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:08:27 EST

millions of years of evolution to pull the tastiest bugs off your friends body to eat... Vs millions of years of evolution to go into debt for the rest of your life and have preachy college professors stuff the same regurgitated knowledge down your throat every semester until you are so burned out you take a job that pays half what you are worth to pay off that child support you will inevitably have after your 2nd or 3rd failed marriage due to not liking the same reality television shows. I'd take the bugs and a monkeys reflexes anyday.

Hypenotist

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

CODIFEROUS — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:03:15 EST

It's a guy in a suit.

CODIFEROUS

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Bodypainter — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 02:56:12 EST

these two videos are really impressive, i have never seen something like that before! i know the story of the apes that can read sign-language or use some device to communicate, but those experiments all are still not that impressive because you get the impression that it all stops at some point where it comes to understanding. does the ape do it, because he is trained to do something, or does he do it, because he likes to do it? the key-problem really seems to be the language, but imagine one day an ape could learn the language... wouldn't that be a totally scary new developement? language is the key to society. could we really imprison such a socialised ape in a cage if he could speak? ps: can someone please post the url to the photos on which bush's face-expressions are compared with apes...?

Bodypainter

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Wegmans — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 02:54:31 EST

And they still get to throw their own poo!
What kind of a world is this?

Wegmans

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

lucface — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 02:23:52 EST

@dmenafro: Great point!

lucface

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Illustrious Chin — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 01:41:22 EST

i like orangutans more they are orange.

Illustrious Chin

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

ripfire4 — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 01:03:56 EST

Numbers? Pfft. Aren't they suppose to be busy writing a book or something?

ripfire4

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

foebea — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 01:02:41 EST

Gizmodo, I challenge you to get us a copy of this program! I would love to test my skills vs the chimps.

foebea

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

oo0cyst0oo — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:57:57 EST

@kzooguy: that's all you've done. our minds do just that. we relate one thing to another, over and over again. 1 is a symbol for one and one is the same as the idea that is the same as 1, and then we relate those ideas to 2, two, and the idea of 2. and so on.

oo0cyst0oo

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

hihai411 — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:53:42 EST

wait im confused so does that mean we're evolving into monkeys?

hihai411

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

gadgetfanatic — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:50:23 EST

I can't even type as fast as they're doing that.

gadgetfanatic

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

tw3nty — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:44:10 EST

The chimp is pretty amazing i agree, but they are trained to do one task and they can do that ONE task very well. They may be able to memorize it much faster than we can, but arent we the people behind that touchscreen, the testing of these monkeys, and much more?

tw3nty

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

kzooguy — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:39:44 EST

That's really cool! I wonder if the chimps understand the concept of numbers or order, or if they've just memorized the numerals as a sequence of images.

kzooguy

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Katorok — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:31:56 EST

It's settled, that monkey, chip, whatever it is will cure cancer!

Katorok

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Rotnmeat — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:14:31 EST

What's great is that Ayumu has complete confidence in correctly completing the task at hand. Any human would pause once they finished hitting the numbers that they remembered, but the chimp doesn't miss a beat and if you were to guess his accuracy, you'd probably say that he's 100%. Confidence is everything. Now let's see how he does with the laydeez!

Rotnmeat

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

quendiljt — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:11:46 EST

@AxCrusnik: Dude, check out the second video
That's amazing. There's no way I could win at that.

quendiljt

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

x23 — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:09:11 EST

certainly sounds believable based on 80% of all college students (and graduates even!) i ever deal with.

great at rote memorization and repeating facts... not so much at generating new "facts" on their own. critical thinking and creative problem solving skills are generally severely lacking as well.

x23

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

naiad — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:07:38 EST

nice. so much for my expensive college degree.

naiad

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

gadgetfanatic — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:05:39 EST

Hmmm, next thing you know they'll be teaching them how to comment here on Gizmodo.

gadgetfanatic

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Earthslide — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:59:52 EST

"the college kids got owned" ... hahaha!

Earthslide

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Daz_Genetic — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:56:37 EST

Can it play Doom?

I'm ashamed.

Daz_Genetic

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

dmenafro — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:56:23 EST

wouldn't this visual quickness be somewhat required when swinging through tree's...

dmenafro

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

mfaerber — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:49:36 EST

RE: "Is that a saliva shield between the chimp's face and the touchscreen?"

Almost, it's a poo shield.

mfaerber

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

thnkwhatyouthnk — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:47:02 EST

@jcraig: How nice of you to give them the benefit of the doubt and ask them first. Me, I was just going to tell them that they're a moron and maybe swear a bit.

thnkwhatyouthnk

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

theimmc — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:28:39 EST

Is that a saliva shield between the chimp's face and the touchscreen?

theimmc

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Solidsky — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:24:27 EST

spsssh...

who else wipes out other species with a sleight of their hand? this doesn't mean crap!

Solidsky

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

bbfreak — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:21:15 EST

I can wait till the match the young chimps against little kids. Game on!

bbfreak

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

dysthymia — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:15:15 EST

He looks like a guy, in a sports bar eating peanuts and playing video poker.

dysthymia

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

jcraig — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:15:02 EST

@AxCrusnik:
Did you watch the second video?

jcraig

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

jarobi — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:07:27 EST

@aaj111:
I second that.

jarobi

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

islandmonk — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:56:19 EST

any one of those college students will make a fine president in the not-too-distant-future.

islandmonk

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

aaj111 — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:39:49 EST

@DustyButt:

You win.

aaj111

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

DustyButt — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:36:08 EST

Well, they did make into space first.

DustyButt

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

alborticus — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:32:04 EST

@axcrusnik
There's an article on Nature News that has some more interesting video downloads, including the requested feats of memorization:

[www.nature.com]

alborticus

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Andrew_Cho — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:20:54 EST

holy crap! I just can't believe my freakin' eyes

Andrew_Cho

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

AxCrusnik — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:11:56 EST

Aren't the numbers supposed to disappear after 0.7 seconds so you have to memorize them and then tap the places where they were in order? It's pretty impressive that the monkey knows his numbers but I wanna see him memorize the entire group of numbers in under a second.

AxCrusnik

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

meeteater — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:11:53 EST

@DJJS: that's what she said

meeteater

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Duffasaurus — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:11:44 EST

I so glad HP was available to 'lovingly present' this evening's Gizmodo homepage to me.

Duffasaurus

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

DJJS — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:09:59 EST

It will all be over once a Banana is trown in there..

DJJS

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

Terminator12139 — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:06:30 EST

Planet of the Apes is inevitable.

Terminator12139

Chimpanzees Beat College Students at Computerized Brain Test

MagicMT — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:04:07 EST

damn!

MagicMT